Is LUV a good stock to buy?
Southwest Airlines Co. · end-of-day data as of Nov 13, 2026
- PT$48.87 +8.8%
- P/E vs own-30.9%
- P/E vs sector-21.1%
- MAs4 of 4
- MACD0.15
- Earnings in75d
- P/E21.6x
- RSI56
- Support-2.5%
- Resistance+8.8%
- Off 52w high-18.5%
- Volume0.5x
- Bollingerupper half
- ConsensusHold · 27
- Trendsideways
- 52w range$31–$55
- ATR+3.6%
- Off ATH-32.9%
- InsidersNone in 90d
- FCF yield-3.3%
- News
- Sector▼ -11.7%
Updates with the 15-min delayed price. Not a forecast or investment advice.
Is Southwest Airlines a good stock to buy?
Southwest Airlines is weak on economics and fragility; demand, advantage and execution in between. The price is low: 21.6 times its earnings, below its 3-year median of 43.1 (Nov 13, 2026). pretickt does not say whether to buy or sell.
- Demand steady
- Advantage some edge
- Economics thin margins
- Execution mixed
- Fragility fragile
- Price below its usual
LUV sales growth revenue growth
+6%a year, for the last 3 yearsSouthwest Airlines' sales grew 6% a year for 3 years, to $28.06B in fiscal 2025.
LUV analysts' forecast revenue estimates
+19%the sales they expect next fiscal year, on the lastAnalysts expect Southwest Airlines' sales to grow 19% to $33.46B in fiscal 2026 (13 analysts).
LUV peers
pretickt analysis+15%its sales in 12 months, on a year before
Southwest Airlines' sales grew 15% in the 12 months to Sep 30, 2026, faster than Delta Air Lines (+14%), United Airlines (+12%), Equifax (+11%) and J.B. Hunt (+11%).
LUV sales by business revenue by segment
91%of its sales from PassengerPassenger brought Southwest Airlines 91% of its sales in fiscal 2025; Product and Service, Other 8%.
LUV return on capital ROIC
pretickt analysis13%earned before tax on the money invested in itSouthwest Airlines earned 13% before tax on the capital invested in it in the 12 months to Sep 30, 2026; J.B. Hunt 20%, Delta Air Lines 14%, Equifax 13% and United Airlines 11%.
LUV margin on each sale gross margin
56%left after making the productSouthwest Airlines kept 56% of each sale after making the product in the 12 months to Sep 30, 2026; its peers' median is 43%.
LUV margin after costs profit margin
4%of sales left after running the businessSouthwest Airlines' operating margin was 4% in the 12 months to Sep 30, 2026, against 4% in fiscal 2022.
LUV cash generated free cash flow
-$725Mcash left after investing, last 12 monthsSouthwest Airlines burned $725M of cash in the 12 months to Sep 30, 2026, after its investments.
LUV earnings vs estimates
5 of 7quarters above the analysts' estimateSouthwest Airlines beat the analysts' profit estimate in 5 of 7 quarters, the latest on Oct 21, 2026; 1 quarter with one-time gains or charges is left out.
LUV insider selling
-$307Ksold, net, by its executives in 12 monthsSouthwest Airlines' executives and directors sold a net $307K of shares in the 12 months to Nov 13, 2026; none bought.
LUV number of employees
0%about as many people as a year beforeSouthwest Airlines had 72,790 employees at the end of fiscal 2025, about as many as a year before.
LUV CEO pay
$16.59Mfor fiscal 2025, 79% of it in stock and optionsSouthwest Airlines paid its CEO $16.59M for fiscal 2025, 79% of it in stock and options.
LUV financial health Altman Z-score
2.3Altman Z-score, safe above 3Southwest Airlines' Altman Z-score is 2.3 (Nov 13, 2026), between 1.8 and 3, the grey zone.
LUV in past recessions
pretickt analysis-60%its sales in the worst oneSouthwest Airlines' sales fell in each of the last 2 US recessions, by as much as 60% in fiscal 2020.
LUV price vs profit P/E ratio
21.6×a year's earningsSouthwest Airlines' P/E ratio is 21.6 (Nov 13, 2026), below its 3-year median of 43.1.
LUV price vs peers
pretickt analysis21.6×a year's earnings, against its peersInvestors pay 21.6 times Southwest Airlines' earnings (Nov 13, 2026), more than for Delta Air Lines (17.2) and United Airlines (10.0), less than for J.B. Hunt (32.7) and Equifax (30.4).
LUV analysts' target price target
+9%to their average targetAnalysts' average price target for Southwest Airlines is $48.87, 9% above the Nov 13, 2026 close of $44.94.
LUV analyst ratings, 90 days
pretickt analysisRothschild & Coupgrade
In the 90 days to Nov 13, 2026, Rothschild & Co upgraded Southwest Airlines.
What is Southwest Airlines' P/E ratio?
Southwest Airlines' P/E ratio is 21.6 (Nov 13, 2026), below its 3-year median of 43.1. Investors pay 21.6 times Southwest Airlines' earnings (Nov 13, 2026), more than for Delta Air Lines (17.2) and United Airlines (10.0), less than for J.B. Hunt (32.7) and Equifax (30.4).
Is Southwest Airlines profitable?
Southwest Airlines' operating margin was 4% in the 12 months to Sep 30, 2026, against 4% in fiscal 2022. Southwest Airlines burned $725M of cash in the 12 months to Sep 30, 2026, after its investments.
Are insiders selling Southwest Airlines stock?
Southwest Airlines' executives and directors sold a net $307K of shares in the 12 months to Nov 13, 2026; none bought.
How does Southwest Airlines make money?
Passenger brought Southwest Airlines 91% of its sales in fiscal 2025; Product and Service, Other 8%.
Who owns Southwest Airlines stock?
990 institutions hold 93% of Southwest Airlines' shares (Jun 30, 2026); Vanguard, Primecap Management and Franklin Templeton added shares that quarter.
How many employees does Southwest Airlines have?
Southwest Airlines had 72,790 employees at the end of fiscal 2025, about as many as a year before.
From the companies' statements (FMP), their filings read by pretickt, the analysts and the insiders, as of Nov 13, 2026. Each card says what a fact means for its question, never what to do with the stock: for information only, not investment advice.